China to Offer Free HPV Shots for Girls Starting Next Month

China will launch a national program offering free HPV vaccines to 13-year-old girls starting November 10, 2024. This marks a significant expansion of public health coverage, aiming to prevent cervical cancer. The program, announced on October 30 by seven government agencies, incorporates the bivalent HPV vaccine into the national immunization schedule for the first time, specifically targeting girls born after November 10, 2011. They will receive two doses six months apart. The initiative signifies the first inclusion of a cancer-prevention vaccine, rather than one for infectious diseases, into China’s public health system since 2007, and broadens immunization efforts to adolescents.[para. 1][para. 2][para. 3]

The government plans to procure 15.45 million vaccine doses from October to December 2025, with a total budget of 424.78 million yuan ($58.5 million). This sets the procurement price at just 27.5 yuan per dose, a historically low figure. Local authorities have received technical implementation plans and are preparing to roll out the program promptly. The new policy had been previewed in September 2024 by Shen Hongbing, a senior health official.[para. 3][para. 4]

Cervical cancer is the fourth most prevalent cancer among Chinese women, with incidence and mortality rates rising, particularly among younger women. Vaccination is regarded as the most cost-effective prevention strategy. The World Health Organization recommends at least 90% of girls be fully vaccinated against HPV by age 15 to eliminate cervical cancer. However, coverage in China has historically been low due to high prices, supply constraints, and lack of awareness. In recent years, local free vaccination initiatives have lifted coverage, reaching about 40% of eligible girls nationwide by October 2024. For instance, the city of Jinan met a 90% vaccination rate within one month of starting its free vaccine program in 2021.[para. 5][para. 6][para. 7][para. 8]

Despite these local successes, officials caution that broader vaccination efforts may still face obstacles related to insufficient parental awareness and public acceptance. The government notice underlines the need for continuous progress monitoring and public engagement to address potential resistance as HPV vaccination becomes routine.[para. 9]

The expansion of the national HPV vaccination program also opens a large, multi-hundred-million-yuan market for domestic manufacturers, particularly benefiting China’s two main producers: Wantai Biological Pharmacy Enterprise (Wantai) and Walvax Biotechnology (Walvax). Wantai introduced China’s first domestic bivalent HPV vaccine, Cecolin, in 2020, achieving over 25 million doses sold and 8.49 billion yuan in revenue by 2022. Government procurement initially paid 329 yuan per dose, similar to the private market. However, competition intensified after Walvax’s vaccine was approved in 2022, driving prices down. In 2024, procurement prices fell to 86 yuan in Jiangsu and as low as 27.5 yuan in Shandong, now matched by the national program.[para. 10][para. 11][para. 12]

The price drop has hit manufacturers’ finances. Wantai’s revenue fell by 59.25% and net profit by 91.49% in 2024, with further declines in 2025. Walvax’s revenue and net profit also dropped by 31.41% and 66.10% in 2024, continuing into 2025. Both firms are responding by emphasizing product differentiation and supply chain improvements, with analysts noting that, despite slimmer profit margins, the national program offers volume stability and potential relief from current market pressures.[para. 13][para. 14][para. 15][para. 16][para. 17]

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